The Oakland Athletics have now lost seven games in a row, matching their season-high six-game winning run from only a few weeks ago. This is a season-worst performance. Aside from a few high-scoring games against the Texas Rangers, the offense has continued to struggle during the team’s abrupt decline. Furthermore, after supporting the team through the first half, the pitching staff has appeared far more vulnerable in recent weeks. In addition to the damage caused by injuries, inefficiency is starting to show, as shown with Ross Stripling tonight, who has been largely consistent and dependable in 2024. Despite his typical deficiency in free bases, he let up 9 hits in his 5 innings tonight, which allowed the Royals to score 5 runs that the A’s were unable to match. After him, T.J. McFarland and Michael Kelly each threw a scoreless inning, but Kyle Isbel, the Royals’ center fielder, scored the team’s sixth run on Lucas Erceg, who usually shuts out games. Oakland managed to muster 11 hits, including a strong two-run homer to center field from struggling Seth Brown, which allowed Zack Gelof to score after he hit a hustle-play double. This showed that the offense wasn’t as flat as it had been lately. In the top of the seventh, two of the A’s hottest hitters teamed up to score the team’s third run, with probable repeat All-Star Brent Rooker singling Abraham Toro home. After that, the score was tied at 4-3, but Isbel’s previously noted shot off Erceg made it 5-3 and ended Oakland’s chances. Even if the A’s season appears to be at an all-time low, they are still unable to see the bottom. Should they drop another game tomorrow, they would have suffered eight straight losses, including sweeps at the hands of good but unspectacular clubs like the Houston Astros and Royals. But a victory may relieve a lot of the strain the team is probably under after throwing away all the momentum and excitement they had generated. In the Sunday series finale, Oakland’s finest starter, JP Sears, will go on Brady Singer of the Royals. Please help us, baseball gods.
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